Sod plug planter



Aug. 16, 1960 c. M. KNOWLES 2,949,033

SOD PLUG PLANTER Filed Nov. 8, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR (ZHRLLJ Eli 0 mam ATTORNEYS Aug. 16, 1960 c M. KNOWLES SOD PLUG PLANTER 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 8, 1957 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Aug. 16, 1960 Filed Nov. 8, 1957 c. M. KNOWLES 2,949,083

son PLUG PLANTER 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 v/ INVENTOR BY W M ATTORNEYS Aug. 16, 1960 Filed Nov. 8, 1957 c. M. KNOWLES son PLUG PLANTE'R 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 E:

INVENTOR 8% t nwz iwz ATTORNEYS I Aug 16, 1960 Q c. M. 'KNOWLES 2,949,083 I sou PLUG PLANTER Filed Nov. 8, 1957 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR [Ii ABLE; M fi m/m ATTORNEYS Aug. 16, 1960 c. M. KNOWLES 2,949,083

I son PLUG PLANTER Filed Nov. 8, 1957 I s Sheets-Sheet 6 1 NVE N TOR lklzzawzas M [11/001511 Bi Wm ATTORNEY 5 United States Patent O.

s01) PLUG PLANTER Charles M. Knowles, 2318 36th Ave. N.,

V St. Petersburg, Fla.

Filed Nov. 8, 1957, Ser. No. 695,278

2 Claims. (Cl. 111-3) The present invention relates to sod plug planter and more particularly to a machine which digs a hole to receive a sod plug and plants the plug therein.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a sod plug planter having means to feed sod to a plug cutter and means to plant the plug cut from the sod.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sod planter arranged for movement over the earths surface automatically planting sod plugs at predetermined intervals therein. 7

. A further object of the invention is to provide a sod plug planter of the class described above in which the sod plug is placed firmly in the hole dug therefor and rolled upon completion of the planting operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a sod plug planter of the class described above which is inexpensive to manufacture, simple to operate and which is effective in planting sod plugs at regular intervals in the earths surface. A

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in light of the attached drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side elevation of the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the invention with the frame support therefor shown in section.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the invention shown partly broken away for convenience of illustration.

Figure 4 is a rear elevation of the invention shown partially broken away for convenience of illustration.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of the invention shown partially broken away for convenience of illustration.

Figures 6 through 17 are semi-diagrammatic side elevations, partly in section, similar to Figure 2 illustrating the sod planting mechanism in a plurality of positions during the planting operation.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the reference numeral 20 indicates generally a sod plug planter constructed in accordance with the invention. I

The sod plug planter 20 includes a framework generally indicated at 21. The framework 21 has spaced parallel side frame members 22, 23, a front transverse cross member 24, a rear transverse cross member 25, and an intermediate cross member 26. An inverted generally U-shaped frame 27 has upright legs 28, 29 secured at their lower ends to the frame members 22, 23 respectively. The frame 21 is formed generally of channel shaped members welded together at their junctures. I

A hitch indicated generally at 30 is secured to the frame 21 to connect the planter 20 to a tractor. A roller 31 extends transversely of the frame 21 forwardly of the rear cross member and has its opposite ends journalled in the side frame members 22, 23. The roller 31 supports the frame 21 for movement on the surface.

A shaft 32 extends transversely of the U-shaped frame ICC . 2 27 and has its opposite ends journalled in the legs 28, 29 at a point spaced well above the frame members 22, 23. A sprocket 33 is secured to one end of the shaft 32 and has a chain 34 trained thereabout. The chain 34 extends to a power take-off (not shown) on the traction vehicle (not shown) to which the hitch is secured.

-A cam member generally indicated at 35 is keyed to the shaft 32 and incorporates a cylindrical hub 36 having a peripheral cam 37 secured thereto and extending radially outwardly therefrom. A relatively short cam segment 38 is secured to the cam plate 37 and extends laterally outwardly therefrom. A second iarcuate cam member 39 is secured to the opposite side of the cam plate 37 and extends laterally outwardly therefrom. A third cam members 38, 39 and 40 each rotate with the hub 36' as a unit.

A pair of spaced parallel upright angle iron members '41, 42 have their lower end portions secured to the transverse frame member 24 and extend upwardly therefrom.

A pair of spaced parallel bracket plates 43, 44 are secured respectively to the members 41, 42 at the lower ends thereof and project rearwardly therefrom. A U- shaped yoke 45 has the free end thereof secured to the bracket plates 43, 44 by means of an elongated pivot pin 46 extending therethrough.

An arm 47 is secured to the yoke '45 at the bight thereof and extends outwardly and upwardly therefrom at an angle thereto. An arm 48 extends perpendicularly up- Wardly from the outer end of the arm 47 and has a roller 49 journaled on its upper end for engagement with the cam member 38.

An arm '50 is secured to the yoke 45 at the big-ht thereof in laterally spaced relation to the arm 47 so as to extend substantially parallel to the arm 48. The arm 50 has a shoe 51 secured on the upper end thereof for engagement with the cam member 39 as best seen in Figure 2. A tension coil spring 52 extends between one side of the yoke 45 and the transverse frame member 26 normally biasing the yoke "45 toward the frame member 26 so as to normally bias the shoe 51 to engagement with the cam member 39.

A pair of spaced parallel rearwardly extending guide plates 53, 54 are positioned between the plates 43, 44 in inwardly spaced relation thereto and are mounted for pivotal action therebetween on a pivot pin 55 extending completely therethrough. A pair of arms 56, 57 are secured to the guide plates 53, 54 at their lower ends and extend upwardly therefrom in spaced parallel relation.

A roller 58 is journaled between the free ends of the arms 56, 57 and engages the peripheral edge of the cam plate 37, A tension coil spring 59 is secured to one of the arms 57 at one end and to the transverse frame member 26 at the other end to normally bias the 56, 57 toward the transverse frame member 26 to maintain the roller 58 in engagement with the cam plate 37.

A pair of spaced parallel arms 60, 61 are secured in forwardly extending relation to the arms 56, 57 respectively in upwardly spaced relation to the guide plates 58,

is positioned between the guide plates 53, 54 and has a' Patented Aug. 16, 1960.

pair of forwardly extending closely spaced parallel bars 67, 68 secured thereto. The bars 67, 68 engage on opposite sides of the lower end of the bar 64 and are pivotally secured thereto by a pivot pin 69.

The guide plates 53, 54 have a bottom wall 70 extending therebetween at the rear' end thereof and the rear end of the feed plate 66 engages on the bottom wall 70. The bottom wall 70 terminates intermediate the opposite ends of the guide plates 53, 54 and has the forward end thereof offset at 71 below the guide plates 53, 54.

A U-shaped yoke 72" is secured to the transverse cross member 26 and depends therefrom. A pair of stop pins 73 of substantially L-shape are arranged in spaced parallel relation extending rearwardly and. upwardly with their forward lower ends mounted in a block 74 secured to the yoke 72 intermediate the opposite sides thereof. A pair of digging fingers 75 of generally L-shape are arranged in spaced parallel relation and secured to the underside of the bottom wall 70 by bushings 76.

A pair of plates 77, 78 are arranged in closely spaced relation and secured together by depending side plates 79 secured thereto by welding or the like. The plate 77 is secured to the underside of the bottom wall 70 adjacent to the rear end thereof with the space between the plates 77, 78 spaced rearwardly from the bottom wall 70.

A cutting blade 80 is secured to the transverse cross member 26 and is supported thereon by a block 81 secured to the lower edge of the transverse cross member 26 and the forward upper edge of the blade 80. The blade 80 is arranged. in aligned relation to the space between the plates 77, 78 and is adapted to cooperate with the plate 78 upon vertical movement of the plate 78 to produce a shearing. action.

A pair of upright generally parallel guide plates 82, 83 are arranged in spaced apart relation and secured at their forward ends to the upper side of the plate 78. The guides 82, 83 have outwardly flaring forward portions 84, 85 respectively. A support pin 86 is secured to the rear of the plate 78 and extends between the guide members 82, 83 to support the sod therebetween.

A plate 87 is secured to the rear side of the cross member 26. A pair of spaced parallel arms 88 and 89 have their forward lower ends welded to the plate 87 and extend upwardly and rearwardly therefrom. A plate 90 extends between the upper rear ends of the arms 88, 89 and is secured thereto.

A pair of forks 91, 92 are secured in depending relation to a pair of spaced parallel arms 93, 94 respectively which are secured to the upper outer end of the arms 88, 89 by means of a pivot pin 95 extending therethrough. The arms 93, 94 are connected intermediate their opposite ends by means of a cross bar 96. The forks 91, 92 are offset and arranged parallel to the cutter blade 80 when adjacent thereto.

A sleeve 97 is journalled on the pivot pin 95 between the arms 88, 89. A pair of diverging rods 98, 99 have their upper ends secured to the sleeve97. The rods 98, 99 project through the opposite ends of a transverse shaft 100 positioned in parallel relation below the sleeve 97. A bolt 101 is threaded through the shaft 100 intermediate the rods 98, 99 for reasons to be assigned. The rods 98, 99 have converging lower end portions 102, 103 integrally formed thereon and terminating in a pair of rear forks 104, 105 respectively. The forks I04, 105 are forwardly ofiset from the sleeve 97 and are arranged to engage between the guides 82, 83 as is shown in Figure 2. A coil spring 106 is engaged about the sleeve 97 and engages the rod 98 at 107 with its opposite end engaging the plate 90 soas to normally urge the forks 104, 105 toward the cutter blade 80.

An upstanding angle iron arm 108- has the lower end thereof engaged over one end of the pivot 95 and is provided with an Lshaped lateral extension 109 which engages over the opposite end of the pivot pin 95 to journal the arm 108 thereon. The upper end of the arm 108 is positioned in the path of the cam member 40 so as to be moved forwardly upon rotational movement of the cam member 40. A collar 110 is positioned between the L-shaped member 109 and the arm 94 and is journaled on the pivot pin 95. The arm 94 and the L-shaped member 109 are each welded to the opposite sides of the collar 110 so that movement of the arm 108 will be transmitted to the arms 93, 94 respectively. A coil spring 111 is engaged over the pivot pin between the arm 93 and the arm 108 and has one end 112 engaging the L- haped member 109 and the end 113 opposite thereto engaging the arm 88 so as to normally urge the arm 108 rearwardly and the arms 93, 94 forwardly thus biasing the forks 9'1, 92 into close proximity to the cutter blade 89.

A reinforced plunger bar 114 is secured to the rear end of the arm 47 in aligned relation with the arm 48. The plunger bar 114 depends from the arm 47 and is arranged between the arms 88, 89, the arms 93, 94, forks 104, and forks 91, 92. The lower end of the plunger bar 114 has a rearwardly extending foot 115 secured thereto by means of welding or the like.

The rear face of the plunger bar 114 is arcuate and the forward end of the bolt 101 engages thereagainst.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, an adjustable sod guide generally indicated at 118 is positioned at the forward end of the guide plates 53, 54 and supported on the pivot pin 55.

In the use and operation of the invention the shaft 32 is rotated counter clockwise by the sprocket 33 and chain 34 and with the parts in the position illustrated in Figure 6 it should be noted that the roller 58 is in contact with the peripheral edge of the cam plate 37 thus supporting the arm 57, guide plates 53, 54 and the parts suspended therefrom. It should be noted that the L- shaped digging fingers 75 are approximately even with the earths surface in this position.

In Figure 7, the cam plate 37 has rotated approximately 90 degrees in a counter clockwise direction moving the roller 58 outwardly from the shaft 32 so as to raise the guide plates 53, 54 and also to raise the fingers 75 out of contact with the ground. In this position of the parts the arm 50 has been contacted by the cam member 39 causing the yoke 45 to move upwardly and forwardly around the pivot 46 lifting the plunger bar 114 out of contact with the ground.

In Figure 8 the cam plate 37 has rotated approximately 10 degrees from the position illustrated in Figure 7 and the cam member 39 acting on the arm 50 has raised the plunger bar 1114 sufliciently to permit the bolt 101 to move on the plunger bar 114 so that the forks 104, 105 can move toward the forks 91,. 92 to grip a sod plug 117 therebetween. The movement of the guide plates 53, S4 upwardly from the position illustrated in Figure 6 to the position illustrated in Figure 7 causes the plate 78 to move into shearing relation with respect to the cutter blade 80 shearing a sod plug 117 from a body of sod positioned between the guide plates 53, 54. Furthermore, rearward movement of the arm 57 through the positions illustrated in Figures 6, 7 and 8 causes the arms 60, 61 to move rearwardly swinging the bar 64 about the connectingpin 62 thus moving the feeder plate 66 rearwardly.

In Figure 9 the cam plate 37 has rotated approximately 28 degrees from the position illustrated in Figure 8 so that the cam member 39 has moved the arm 50 the maximum distance upwardly and forwardly raising the plunger bar 114 to its highest position. In this position of the parts the feeder plate 66 has been moved forwardly the maximum amount and the digging fingers 75 are raised to their highest position out of the ground. The arm 48 and roller 49 are similarly raised to their maximum position for engagement by the cam member 38.

In Figure 10 the cam plate 37 has rotated approximately 52 degrees from the position illustrated in Figure 9 and the cam member 40 has come in contact with the upper end of the arm 108 causing it to pivot in a clockwise direction about the pivot 95 moving the forks 91, 92 slightly rearwardly so that with forks 104, 105 they grip the sod plug 1117. Referring to Figure 2, it should be noted that the connector plates 96 engage the shaft 100 so that the forks 104, 105 and 91, 92 move rearwardly as a unit. In this position of the cam plates 37, the surface engaging roller 58 is circular so that no additional movement of the arm 57 occurs. Similarly the cam member 39 is circular through this portion of its arc and no additional movement of the arm 50 occurs.

In Figure 11, the cam plate 37 has rotated approximately 62 degrees from the position illustrated in Figure 10 and the cam member 38 has engaged under the roller 49 to support the plunger bar 114 as the arm 50 disengages from the cam member 39. In this position the arm 108 is moved further forwardly moving the forks 104, 105 and the forks 91, 92 rearwardly away from the cutter blade 80.

Referring now to Figure 12, it can be seen that the cam plate 37 has rotated approximately 12 degrees from the position illustrated in Figure 11. The roller 58 has aligned with the cutout portion 118 in the cam plate 37 and is moved rapidly toward the shaft 32 by action of the spring 59. Movement of the roller 58 toward the shaft 32 moves the arm 57 rearwardly lowering the guide plates 53, 54 and the digging fingers 75 permitting the digging fingers 75 to enter the ground. Furthermore, movement of the arm 57 rearwardly moves the arm 61 rearwardly causing the yoke 65 to engage the forward side of the pin 62 and the feeder plate 66 to begin its rearward movement. The arm 108 moved by the cam member 40 is pivoted further forwardly to move the forks 104, 105 and the forks 91, 92 further rearwardly.

In Figure 13, the cam plate 37 has moved approximately 7 degrees in a counter clockwise direction from the position illustrated in Figure 12. The roller 58 has moved into the cutout portion 118 of the cam plate 37 to its rearmost position so that the digging fingers 75 are completely engaged in the ground. In the position illustrated in Figure 13, the feeder plate 66 has completed its rearward feeding movement and the forks 104, 105 and 91, 92 have been moved further rearwardly to a position nearly underlying the plunger bar 114.

The cam plate 37 has been rotated approximately 66 degrees in Figure 14 of the drawings from the position illustrated in Figure 13 and the roller 49 has become disengaged from the cam member 38 releasing the arms 47, 48 and the yoke 45 for pivotal movement about the pivot 46 in a counter clockwise direction under the urging of the spring 52. The position illustrated in Figure 14 immediately follows the release of the roller 49 from the cam member 38 before the arms 47, 48 and the plunger bar 114 have descended. In Figure 14, the roller 58 and the arm 57 have been moved forwardly by the cam plates 37 partially lifting the digging fingers 75 from the ground as well as beginning the rearward movement of the feeder plate 66. In Figure 14, the cam member 40 has moved the arm 108 to its most forward position so that the forks 104, 105, 91, 92 are in their rearmost position underlying the plunger bar 114.

In Figure 15, the cam plate 37 is illustrated in the same position as in Figure 14 with the plunger bar 114 in a partially descended position with the foot 115 thereof illustrated at the lower ends of the forks 104, 105, and 91, 92 having just pushed the sod plug 117 from therebetween.

Figure 16 illustrates the cam plate 37 in the same position as in Figures 14 and with the plunger bar 114 in its lowermost position where it has tamped the sod plug 117 into the hole in the ground made by the digging fingers 75.

In Figure 17, the cam plate 37 has been moved approximately 13 degrees in a counter clockwise direc-:

tion from its position in Figures 14, 15 and 16 and the cam member 40 has disengaged from the arm 108 so that the arm 108 can move rearwardly to permit the forks 104, 105, 91, 92 to move forwardly and be spaced apart for engagement about another plug 117 to be cut by the cutter blade on upward movement of the guide plates 53, 54 and the plates 77, 78, movement of the cam plate 37 from the position illustrated in Figure 17 counter clockwise approximately 20 degrees returns all of the moving parts to the position illustrated in Figure 6 preparatory for another cycle of operation.

The sod plug planter 20 is moved forwardly by being I towed by a tractor vehicle at a relatively slow speed. Rotation of the cam plate 37 and its action on the roller 58 and arm 57 causes the digging fingers 75 to engage into the ground as illustrated in Figure 13 and lift out of the ground as illustrated in Figure 7. The digging fingers 75 are moved forwardly by action of the tractor vehicle during the time that they are engaged in the ground as illustrated in Figure 13 so as to open a hole in the sod or earth to receive the plug 117. Movement of the arm 57 also moves the plate 78 with respect to the cutter 80 so as to shear off a plug 117 from a body of sod positioned between the guide plates 53, 54 on the feeder plate 66. The upward movement of the support pin 86 positions the plug 117 intermediate the forks 104, 10s, 91, 92 as is seen in Figure 7.

The upward movement of the plunger bar 114 driven by the arm 50 engaging the cam member 39 permits the forks 104, to approach the forks 91, 92 and grip the sod plug 117 therebetween. The engagement of the arm 108 with the cam member 40 moves the forks 91, 92 rearwardly clamping the sod plug 117 against the forks 104, 105 and moving the sod plug 117 to a position underlying the plunger bar 114 as illustrated in Fig ure 14. Disengagement of the roller 49 from the cam member 38 releases the plunger bar 114 to permit the sod plug 117 to be engaged by the foot 115 so that the sod plug 117 can be driven into the hole made by the digging fingers 75 as illustrated in Figure 16.

Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that numerous structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A sod plug planter comprising a frame, means securing the forward end of said frame to a tractor vehicle, a roller journalled in said frame and supporting the rear end of said frame, a cam member journalled in said frame for rotational movement therein and having a plurality of cam faces rigidly formed thereon, means connected to said cam members driven from said tractor vehicle for rotating said cam member in said frame, a sod guide pivotally secured to said frame for vertical swinging movement, a first cam follower on said sod guide engaging one of said cam faces for pivoting said sod guide on said frame, a cutter blade fixed to said frame, a cutter plate fixed to said sod guide, said cutter blade and said cutter plate cooperating to sever sod supported therebetween in said sod guide on upward movement of said sod guide and thus forming a sod plug, gripping forks mounted on said frame for gripping a sod plug severed from the sod in said sod guide, a second cam follower connected to said gripping forks for engagement with a second one of said cam faces upon rotation of said cam, digging fingers carried by said sod guide and depending therefrom for movement into and away from the earth upon pivotal movement of said sod guide, a plunger bar for pressing a sod plug held by said gripping fingers into the ground into a hole dug by said digging fingers, a third cam follower mounted on said plunger bar for engagement with a third one of said cam faces for con- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Nolte July 27, Fulton Aug. 23, McLemore May 30, Provost Nov. 11,

FOREIGN PATENTS France Feb. 6, France Jan. 17, Italy Feb. 7, 

